Charlotte to Memphis road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time

The best road trip stops on the Charlotte to Memphis drive are Asheville NC, Pigeon Forge TN and Nashville TN. The distance from Charlotte to Memphis by car is 619 miles, with a 9h10m driving time.

Planning a Charlotte to Memphis road trip itinerary

The Charlotte to Memphis drive takes you from the biggest city in North Carolina to western Tennessee.

Charlotte is the biggest city in North Carolina. Major attractions include the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the thrill-packed Carowinds amusement park and the Billy Graham Library. Another popular option is the Sea Life aquarium.

For top Charlotte activities, try historical city tours by golf cart, Segway tours through the Uptown neighbourhood and after dark ghost tours.

Well-reviewed and central Charlotte accommodation options include the AC by Marriott and the Hyatt House.

Memphis, Tennessee, is a pilgrimage site for Elvis fans. The King’s Graceland mansion is one of the top tourist sites in the US. But the cultural heritage extends beyond music, as you’ll discover on an African-American history tour.

Try the Rock and Soul Museum, plus the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and the 19^th century Woodruff-Fontaine House.

Ways of seeing the city include ghost walks, Downtown food tours and musical bus tours. There are also guided walks down music central, Beale Street, and city tours that take you inside the legendary Sun Studios.

Top Memphis accommodation options include the Peabody, famous for its marching ducks, and the Guesthouse at Graceland.

Charlotte to Memphis distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Charlotte to Memphis is 619 miles. That makes for a driving time of around nine hours and 10 minutes. The quickest route is usually via the I-40.

The best stops to add to a Charlotte to Memphis road trip itinerary are Asheville NC, Pigeon Forge TN and Nashville TN.

For more suggestions, check out the guides to the individual legs of the journey:

Charlotte to Memphis road trip attractions: Asheville, North Carolina

In the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville NC is one of the main gateways to the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is one of America’s best road trip routes.

But there’s more to Asheville than the mountains. It’s a buzzy city of arty shops, restaurants, breweries and live music venues. The River Arts District is particularly strong on the studios and galleries front. The lavish Biltmore Estate, meanwhile, is the country’s biggest privately-owned home.

Top Asheville experiences include after dark ghost walks, Blue Ridge Parkway hiking tours and Jeep adventures, plus Segway tours and scenic helicopter rides.

You can also do guided e-bike tours either downtown or in the mountains, then take a guided visit to several craft breweries.

Charlotte to Memphis drive: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Pigeon Forge is popular because of its close proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the US. But so many attractions have built up around the resort town that it’s now much more than a gateway.

Most famous of these is Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park, but there’s also the Titanic Museum, the Beyond The Lens interactive museum and the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster.

Other Pigeon Forge experiences include small group jeep tours in the mountains, guided ATV adventures and wine plus moonshine tours.

Pigeon Forge is also known for its evening shows, whether Elvis tributes, Motown performances, lumberjack feuds or country music extravaganzas.